Any Ideas How To Reduce My Nitrite Levels Fast?

[chardonnay1000]

Please can someone help me, i am new to fishkeeping and over the last few days i have been loosing fish which is really upsetting me. I was reading a post last night so today i bought a tesing kit to check my Ph levels etc. I thought is was ammonia but i have tested for everything and it is the nitrite level which is at the max. I have done a water change yest and today but can seem to get it down. Does anyone know a quick way to get it down as my cardinals are not looking happy today and i dont think they will last the night. Any advise will be welcome.

 

[black angel]

How big a tank and how long has it been running? Whats the stock list and filter and how much water in a week do you change?
When you say nitrite is at the max how high is it?

If you are cycling a new tank then nitrites will be expected and you can keep them low by doing large water changes.
How much water have you changed recently?

 

[chardonnay1000]

How big a tank and how long has it been running? Whats the stock list and filter and how much water in a week do you change?
When you say nitrite is at the max how high is it?

If you are cycling a new tank then nitrites will be expected and you can keep them low by doing large water changes.
How much water have you changed recently?

i have a 65 litre tank and has been goin for 5 weeks, i introduced some red eyed tetras 1st which one got caught in the filter after 2 days and died and 2 neons. I have 3 harlequins which i got last week and 3 cardinals. I do approx 25% water change every 4-5 days. oh and i have an apple snail which i was told to feed sinking pellets as they wont get fed.

 

[Bignose]

Do very frequent water changes until the pollution levels are very low. I am talking like at least 25% a day until the bacteria have grown to sufficient levels so that the reading is zero every time. More than 25% a day is even better, as is more often if you can spare the time.

Do not worry that the bacteria will not grow. Bacteria will always grow so long as nitrite is being produced (which is always is). It does not matter what the intermediate level is... the nitrite bacteria will grow to the level necessary eventually.

What is far more important is to stop posioning your fish, so you need to dilute the pollution levels with frequent water changes. So long as the temperature (and hardness and pH, but if you are using the same tap water, the pH and hardness will be very similar) of the new water is pretty close to the tank's temperature, you can do large water changes, like 50%,70%, even 90%.

So, I would plan to do something like a 25-50% water change every day, and test for ammonia and nitrites right before each water change. Once both ammonia and nitrites read zero several times in a row, you can cut back to just doing weekly water changes.

 

[chardonnay1000]

Do very frequent water changes until the pollution levels are very low. I am talking like at least 25% a day until the bacteria have grown to sufficient levels so that the reading is zero every time. More than 25% a day is even better, as is more often if you can spare the time.

Do not worry that the bacteria will not grow. Bacteria will always grow so long as nitrite is being produced (which is always is). It does not matter what the intermediate level is... the nitrite bacteria will grow to the level necessary eventually.

What is far more important is to stop posioning your fish, so you need to dilute the pollution levels with frequent water changes. So long as the temperature (and hardness and pH, but if you are using the same tap water, the pH and hardness will be very similar) of the new water is pretty close to the tank's temperature, you can do large water changes, like 50%,70%, even 90%.

So, I would plan to do something like a 25-50% water change every day, and test for ammonia and nitrites right before each water change. Once both ammonia and nitrites read zero several times in a row, you can cut back to just doing weekly water changes.

thanks alot, i have been doing a 50% change a day, the nitrate levels have come right down now thankfully, not many fishes left though

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Do very frequent water changes until the pollution levels are very low. I am talking like at least 25% a day until the bacteria have grown to sufficient levels so that the reading is zero every time. More than 25% a day is even better, as is more often if you can spare the time.

Do not worry that the bacteria will not grow. Bacteria will always grow so long as nitrite is being produced (which is always is). It does not matter what the intermediate level is... the nitrite bacteria will grow to the level necessary eventually.

What is far more important is to stop posioning your fish, so you need to dilute the pollution levels with frequent water changes. So long as the temperature (and hardness and pH, but if you are using the same tap water, the pH and hardness will be very similar) of the new water is pretty close to the tank's temperature, you can do large water changes, like 50%,70%, even 90%.

So, I would plan to do something like a 25-50% water change every day, and test for ammonia and nitrites right before each water change. Once both ammonia and nitrites read zero several times in a row, you can cut back to just doing weekly water changes.

thanks alot, i have been doing a 50% change a day, the nitrate levels have come right down now thankfully, not many fishes left though

glad your levels have come down, have a read through this article about fishless cycling so you know what to do differently next time

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I would also suggest some live plants if you have enough light, and are willing to buy some ferts.

 

[chardonnay1000]

I would also suggest some live plants if you have enough light, and are willing to buy some ferts.

i put some plants in after the 1st couple of weeks and they are doing fine, I suppose i have learned my lesson the hard way and should kick myself up the backside, then again im prob not the 1st and certainly wont be the last, thanks again for your advice.